


Do You Know What I Know

by TheAuthorGod



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Asshole!Cas, Christmas, Christmas AU, Christmas Party, DeanCas - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hate to Love, Human AU, Love/Hate, M/M, Minor Jo/Benny, Social Anxiety, almost panic attack, asshole!Dean, festiv au, graphicDesigner!Dean, holiday party, lawyer AU, lawyer!Sam, mentions of Cas' parents' deaths, mentions of Mary's death, protective!Dean, sociallyAwkward!Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 20:52:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2746619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAuthorGod/pseuds/TheAuthorGod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king, 'Do you know what I know?'</i><br/>Dean and Cas have worked along side each other in the firm's advertising department for upward of 6 months and they've never seen eye to eye.  After Dean, somehow, accidentally, gets Cas to attend the firm's Holiday Party, they each say some things that get their relationship moving in the right direction.  In fact, their relationship gets moving along even better after alcohol get into the mix.<br/> </p>
<p>Written for casfallsinlove on tumblr for Unconventional-Angel's Winter Drabblethon</p>
            </blockquote>





	Do You Know What I Know

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from [ casfallsinlove's post ](http://casfallsinlove.tumblr.com/post/104095832048)
> 
> "Cas and Dean being work colleagues who hate each other until the Christmas party when they get drunk and stick their tongues down each other’s throats in the copy room."
> 
> UNBETA'D. UNPROOFED. SORRY FOR ERRORS.

Cas wants absolutely nothing to do with Dean. They have been set into cubicles right next to each other for the better half of a year and it has been one of the worst times of Cas’ professional life. Why you may ask, because Dean is about as unprofessional as it gets.

Dean is the graphic design artist of the firm. He had gotten the job because his brother is an amazing lawyer who already has too much pull in the company in Cas’ opinion.

Dean leans over the cubicle wall. “Hey, you know if the Christmas party is casual or formal?” 

Huffing, Cas turns to glare. “I don’t know.” He turns back to the advert he’s writing. 

“Oh, come on.” Dean lays his head on folded arms. “You always know what the dress code is.”

Cas glowers. “You only know that because I constantly tell you when you are breaking one of the rules.”

“Well, yeah, but…” Dean shrugs.

Cas sighs. “I don’t know because I don’t plan on attending.” He lets the tapping of his fingers on the keyboard fill the following silence.

Dean’s head disappears then he plants himself at the opening to Cas’ cubicle. “Why not?”

Swiveling in his chair, Cas looks directly at Dean. “If you haven’t noticed, I don’t really talk to anyone and no one talks to me. What good would it be to go and just stand around awkwardly?”

Dean licks his lips. “You could stand around awkwardly with me.”

Cas’ face pulls together in a frown. “What are you talking about? You make friends easily, talk easily. You won’t be awkward at all.” Cas turns to the computer again, thinking that the conversation is over.

“I don’t really like Christmas.”

Cas doesn’t know what he’s supposed to that so he doesn’t; but, he does stop typing. He stares at the screen.

“My family doesn’t really do Christmas. My mom died when I was little and no one had us do Christmas after that.” Dean shifts. “I don’t know; it’s weird listening to people talking about getting presents and decorating and how happy it is to be with family.”

Cas snorts. “My family is never happy, not even at Christmas.”

Dean laughs in response.

\---

Cas thinks a lot about it and by ‘a lot’ he means every night since. Thinks about what Dean said and what he said and finally ends up talking himself into going to the holiday party.

Cas steps through the door and feels immediately out of place like he had imagined. He’s wearing a black polo and dark jeans that clash with the bright festive greens and reds and golds around the room. He searches out Dean.

He’s easy to spot. Dean is much taller than most of the people who work at the firm. He’s taller than Cas and that sometimes disgruntles him. The only person that Cas can more easily spot in the crowd is Sam who was over dressed for the business casual affair in a dark suit. Cas huffs.

Making his way over to Dean, Cas maneuvers around ugly sweaters and felt reindeer antlers. “Hello, Dean.”

Dean had been speaking to Pamela but seemed genuinely relieved to be taken away from the conversation. “Heya, Cas.” Dean gestures politely to Pamela. “Pamela’s just been telling me her plans for the holiday.” Dean shoots Cas a pleading look.

Cas knows he is the worst person to be given the job of talking his way out of a situation. He was socially awkward on a good day. He tried his best to use it to his advantage. “Really? What are those plans?”

Turning to him, Dean shoots a look that clearly says ‘not helping’.

Pamela doesn’t notice Dean’s silent cries for help; she simply starts up her conversation again. “I’m going to see my parents. It will be splendid. Will you be seeing your parents over the break?”

Internally, Cas smiles. He knows exactly how to get Pamela to go away; she makes it awfully easy. He keep his face carefully blank. “My parents are dead.”

The smile of Pamela’s face droops at the edges. “Oh.” 

There’s silence. Dean is staring at Cas the same way Pamela is; but, Cas chooses not to mind. “No matter.”

They lapse into silence again. Cas plays it to his advantage by taking a drink from a passing waiter and sipping it loudly.

A man comes by and asks Pamela for help with something. She doesn’t ask what it is but she leaves in a hurry. Once she’s gone, Cas smiles. “That worked better than I thought.”  
Dean bursts out laughing. “You can’t just say that kind of thing. Now she’ll think your parents are dead.”

Licking his lips, Cas sighs. “They are dead.”

Dean sobers up. “What do you mean? I thought your dad and brother came in to see you on your birthday? Uh, what were their names, Michael and Gabriel?” Dean takes a drink when the waiter passes, again. He sips at it and waits.

How Dean remembers that is beyond Castiel. Cas shakes his head. “Michael isn’t actually my father. He’s my brother.”

Dean stops and rolls his eyes upward in confusion before looking back at Cas. “I thought Michael was the old one.”

Cas laughs. “Yeah.” They lapse into a short silence; this time it isn’t awkward. “My parents died shortly after I was born. They weren’t young. They were in a building when it caught on fire.”

Dean huffs. “My mum died in a house fire.”

They laugh, not because it’s funny but because it is ironic. Cas continues, “I was an ‘oops baby’. My siblings are all much older than me. Michael is the eldest of my brothers. He was 26 when I was born.”

“Damn.” Dean took a quick sip of his bubbly grape wine. “I mean, uh-”

Cas waves his hand. “No, no. It’s okay. Michael raised me with his kids. Gabriel is actually my nephew but is two years older than me.” Cas picks up two mini pumpkin pies from a passing waiter. “You like pie, yeah?” He offers one to Dean. “I distinctly remember you fighting with your brother about having pie for your birthday instead of cake.”

Dean laughs and takes the mini pie from Cas. “I’m a pie fiend.” He smiles, closed-lipped around the small treat. He wipes his hand on his jeans. “I’m older than Sam by 4 years.”

Knowing he wasn’t good at small talk, Cas simply cocked his head to listen to Dean. He mentally did the calculation of Dean’s age; he hadn’t ever known only guessed. Sam started at the firm two years ago; he was the youngest lawyer on staff at 23. That means that Sam is now 25 and Dean is 29. Well, depending on birth months, 29-ish.

“I took care of Sam a lot but I didn’t have kids of my own. That must have been weird.” When tea sandwiches pass on another tray, Dean grabs 6. The waiter gives Dean a pointed look to which Dean replies, “I’m sharing.” Cas ends up with a cucumber sandwich and an egg salad sandwich each in the shape of Christmas Bells; though he’s unsure what the difference between Christmas Bells and any other bells.

Cas takes a bite of the egg salad one. It’s made with miracle whip and therefore tastes gross. He sets it down on the plate that he isn’t sure when he got. It probably had something to do with Dean. “It was very nice, actually. I don’t know what would have happened if Michael had not taken me in; perhaps one of my other brothers, Balthazar or Uriel. Maybe Anna. My life would have been very different in any case.”

Dean coughs on his own egg salad sandwich and discards it onto his plate. Cas is secretly pleased with their mutual dislike for them. Dean sighs. “Perhaps you would celebrate Christmas?”

Cas sighs, too. “Perhaps.”

Dean’s chin suddenly jerks up, looking across the room. Cas follows his gaze. A woman with long blonde hair enters the room. She is very pretty, blue eyes, soft features.  
Briefly, Cas wonders if she is Dean’s girlfriend. That thought is squashed when Sam rushes over to her and kisses her hello. Dean taps Cas’ forearm, earning his attention. “Let’s go see them.”

Discarding of his trash in a nearby trashcan and gesturing for Dean to do the same, Cas tries to prepare himself for meeting someone new. “Is she Sam’s girlfriend?”

Dean smiles. “Fiancé.” He waves his hands around in a unique and elaborate gesture. “Sam got all crazy faced about the whole thing; but, I knew she’d say yes.”  
“They’re that in love?”

Laughing, Dean shakes his head, “Nah, she started complaining to me about how long it was taking Sam to propose.”

Cas chuckles. “The two of you get along, then?”

Dean pushed his way through the crowd. “Yeah, she’s cool. She likes bowling and classic literature. She’s a good kind a girl.”

Cas ends up stopping because people close in around him. He has social anxiety so he simply closes his eyes and tries to pretend that the other people aren’t there. He doesn’t need to have an episode in the middle of a work social. He evens his breathing just when a hand grabs his wrist.

“Come on.” Dean tugs on his arm until they’re across the room and in a less dense portion of the room. Dean lets go and turns to him. “You good?”

Nodding, Cas tries to calm his fast-paced heart beat. He wasn’t sure if it was from the almost anxiety attack or Dean touching him.

“What were we talking about?” Dean may or may not have realized that Cas was having trouble at that moment. Cas is glad that he doesn’t acknowledge the issue like a lot of people try to.

“Sam’s girlfriend?”

“Yeah, Jess.” Dean smiles. 

“She the kind of girl you’d want for yourself?” Cas felt much better; returning to the previous conversation helped him to even his breathing.

Dean shrugs. “I mean yeah, I guess.” He smiles in Sam and Jess’ direction. They seemed blissfully unaware of the rest of the party.

They are much closer. Cas can see the ring on Jess’ finger. “She seems lovely; what about her makes her not for you?”

Dean mumbles something.

“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

Dean’s cheeks had tinged pink. “I said ‘She’s a bit too female for my tastes.’” His cheeks are aflame by the time he looks at Cas. His face has hardened with a determination that Cas feels is sorely misplaced.

Cas can’t judge. He would probably have had the same answer. Cas knows exactly what to say though; it’s what he always hopes the other person will say when he ends up outing himself. Cas smiles. “Same goes for me.”

He looks over at Jess, giving Dean the privacy that he probably needs to pull himself back together. Sam notices that Cas is watching and waves them over. Cas smiles and strides toward them.

Cas had spoken with Sam on numerous occasions. He’d always enjoyed going to lunch with the whole firm but whenever there was a legitimate reason to go with just Sam; it was pleasant. They both liked to read and do research; it made them very good at their jobs and for easy conversation.

Even though Cas considered himself gay, maybe Bi if he was having a particularly good day, he had only ever seen Sam as a friend. Sam also seemed to be very interested in females. Cas wasn’t sure if he had been that way when he was that age, 5 or 6 years ago, but he hoped he hadn’t been. Sometimes it was annoying to be ignored for the waitress’ attention.

“Hello, Sam.” Cas turns to Jess. “You must be Jess; I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Jess smiles. “Oh, Sam talks about me a lot, huh?” She nudges Sam kind-heartedly in the ribs. Sam responds with a soft ‘oomph’.

“Actually, no; I’ve heard about you from Dean.” Cas notices a piece of lint on his shirt and flicks it before looking back up at the pair.

By that time, Dean had joined them. His face appears less pink than it had been previously. His hands also appear more laden with empty glasses. Cas sighs. He takes the empty glasses from the hand nearest to him and catches a waiter on his way by. Dean finishes what must be his 6th one and reaches across Cas to place it on the platter too.  
The waiter shoots Dean a dirty look. Cas cuts in, “We shared.”

The waiter leaves with a far less disgusted expression. 

Cas turns back to Jess. “I’m sorry about that. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Jess smiles. Her expression seems calculating, not in a bad way but in a ‘what do I do with this information’ kind of way. “Same. I’m sorry, but I don’t know your name.”

Trying to remedy the situation, Cas opens his mouth to speak but Dean talks over him. “This is Cas.”

Nodding, Jess turns to Sam. “You never told me that Dean had a boyfriend.”

Dean rushes in again. “Not boyfriend.” He tries to grab another drink when a waiter walks by but Cas pushes his hand just out of the glass’ vicinity. “Just friend,” Dean grits out, pulling his arm back empty-handed.

Jess apologizes; her ears turn red and her eyes turn downward. 

Cas chuckles lightly. “It’s okay; it’s an honest mistake.”

Sam turns a scrutinizing gaze on Cas then redirects it to Dean. “Dean can I talk to you for a moment, over there?” 

Nodding, Dean follows Sam a few paces away. They talk animatedly; Cas probably shouldn’t be watching but he feels kind of awkward standing next to Sam’s fiancé he just met.  
“So, you and Dean are friends? What is that like? I can’t say I’ve met very many of Dean’s friends.”

Cas turns back to her. “It’s pretty annoying for the most part.” Cas had never thought of them as friends; but, he had also never thought of he and Sam as friends. Maybe they were his friends and he just didn’t understand social situations enough to notice. 

Jess smiles. “That’s what I figured.” She giggles.

Cas feels the need to continue though. “He’s also very thoughtful and observant though.”

The giggling cut off. “What do you mean?”

Shrugging, Cas moves his tongue around in this mouth thinking about what exactly he had meant. “He remembers birthdays that you don’t tell him about. One time, he bought me 4 ties because he noticed that Charlie had shredded mine as an office prank.”

Jess looks taken aback. “Oh. What else?” She picked up a cookie from a passing tray. She pointed in a silent offer that Cas refused.

Sneaking a glance over as Sam and Dean, Cas sees Dean trying to explain something to Sam using his hands more than his mouth. Cas chuckles. “There was one time Dean thought that the new secretary looked lonely so he sent her an edible arrangement. When she asked him out, he politely declined. It broke the poor girl’s heart. Dean felt so bad that he spent the rest of the week looking for a guy that would be good to her. He set them up on a date that Friday.” Cas scanned the room. “There they are now, married.” Cas waves a hand toward Jo and Benny; they’re drinking eggnog with Missouri.

Eyes twinkling, Jess nods. “My first impression of Dean was horrible.”

“So was mine.”

Jess nibbles on her cookie. “Me first but then I want to hear about your first encounter with Dean.” 

Cas nods. 

“Dean was supposed to come to dinner with Sam and I. He was late, very late. Like an hour and a half late. He caught us on our way out.” 

Cas’ eyebrows rise.

Raising a finger, Jess continues. “He was wearing a scowl and it was raining. Sam tried to introduce me but Dean simply growled. He said something like ‘Dinner’s over anyway’,” Jess imitated a deep voice for Dean; Cas smiled. “He left. It was rude and not the best way to meet someone. He’s made up for it ever since but it’s hard to get past that first impression, you know?”

He did know. His and Dean’s relationship was completely based on a few clipped sentences. Cas nods but remains silent.

Tilting her head, Jess bites her lip. “Your turn.”

“Ah, yes.” Cas picks a glass of wine from a passing tray. As the night goes on the glasses seem to get bigger; perhaps Cas is just becoming more inebriated. He takes a long swig. “Dean and I met on the worst possible day. It was the anniversary of my parents’ death.” Cas avoids Jess’ face, knowing that she probably wore a look of pity. “Somehow Dean found out something was wrong, probably from Sam, since I had declined a trip out to lunch. I don’t think I told Sam why. What I also didn’t know was that the anniversary of my parents’ death falls on Sam’s birthday.” Cas swallows.

Jess reaches out and touches his arm. “I get the picture. Dean thought you were being mean to Sam. You were in a bad mood already. That sort of thing?”

Cas nods.

Patting his arm, Jess grins. “Dean is a good guy.”

“I know.” Cas sips from his glass, happy for the small distraction. “He endeavors to talk to me everyday even if I have something to do or don’t want to talk.”

Jess laughs; it’s loud and heartfelt, a lot like when Dean laughs. It makes Cas feel lighter; but that may also be due to alcohol. “Just means he likes you.”

Cas’ chest bubbles in funny ways. “I hope so.”

Squealing quietly, Jess titters. “I knew you liked him.”

Rolling his eyes, Cas looks for somewhere to put the empty wine glass. “Don’t need to make a production out of it.”

Dean stalks back over. “It was nice seeing you Jess; but, Cas and I have to leave.”

Startled, Cas jumps. “Why?”

Without an answer, Dean grabs Cas’ wrist and pulls him away from Jess. Jess waves. She looks at Sam with a perturbed expression. Sam looks back with a look of solid confusion.

After Cas bumps into a few people, he turns and rebukes Dean, “Stop running me into people.” He mumbles a sorry to Missouri.

Dean still says nothing; instead focusing on the path he was making through the people.

They don’t come to a halt until they are in a hallway away from all of the people. Dean lets go of Cas and grabs at his hair.

Not knowing what to do, Cas stands and waits for a sign.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you’re parents died on Sam’s birthday?”

Cas freezes. His body stops moving; he’s fairly certain that his heart stops too. Had Dean been listening in on his and Jess’ conversation? That would be rude.

While Cas deals with a slew of internal questions, Dean continues pulling Cas’ attention back to him. “I told Sam that you and I had been talking. Sam asked what we had been talking about. I told him about you being gay and he said that he had sort of guessed that. Then I told him that your parents died, and you know what he said?” Dean turns to Cas. “He said that he knew that. He said that the anniversary of your parents’ deaths on his birthday.”

Moving his tongue around, Cas tries to figure out why Dean is so angry.

Dean sighs in annoyance. “We met on Sam’s birthday.”

Cas is still lost.

“I was a jerk to you on the anniversary of your parents’ deaths.” Dean’s voice breaks. “I’ve tried to make it up to you but… I didn’t know. No wonder you don’t like me. I’d always thought that I could get you over that first impression in a few nice gestures but this…” Dean hangs his head. “I don’t know how to get you to forgive for this.”

Cas moves forward. He feels guilty. He feels guilty for putting Dean through whatever agony he’s going through. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just bad at reading people. You know I’m socially awkward.”

Dean shakes his head. “This is horrible.”

Cas grabs his arms. “I’m not mad. You’re an amazing person, really.”

Dean just shakes his head some more.

Cas pulls him into a hug. Cas closes his eyes and counts up to then back from 5. “I forgave you when Sam showed me the present you got him.”

Pausing his movement, Dean makes an unintelligible sound.

Taking it as a sign to continue, Cas does. “You got him that book set, the Chronicles of Narnia. It was a box set, original binding. I forget the year; but, they were antique.” Cas rubs Dean’s back. “I saw how much work you put into that gift and I realized that you really loved your brother. I forgave you because that’s the sort of thing Michael of Gabe would have done for me.”

Dean’s head shifts so his forehead rests on Cas’ shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

Cas doesn’t know why, the alcohol probably had something to do with it; but, he turns his head and kisses Dean’s temple. “I know. It’s okay.”

Picking his head up from Cas’ shoulder, Dean looks at his face. Dean’s face is flushed with guilt or embarrassment or inebriation or all of the above. Cas figures his looks about the same. The next thing Cas knows, he’s against the wall. Dean pushes between his legs, kissing him.

Wrapping one arm around Dean’s neck and the other wrapped so his fingers threaded through the longer hair on the top of Dean’s head, Cas pulls him closer. Cas doesn’t know how to small talk but he knows how to kiss. Dean’s not so bad either.

Dean pulls away. “This isn’t just because of the alcohol.”

“Good.” Cas sucks Dean’s bottom lip into his mouth. 

Groaning, Dean hikes Cas further up the wall and wraps Cas’ legs around his waist. Cas rolls his hips. What Cas lacks in social prowess he makes up for in bed; he made sure of this as a teenager. He bites Dean’s lip before soothing it with his tongue. 

In response, Dean pushes his hands under Cas’ polo.

Someone clears their throat from the entrance to the hallway. Cas pulls away to glare at the intruder.

Sam stands with an uncomfortable look on his face. “Jess and I are leaving. I’m taking my car since Jess took the bus over.” Sam looks everywhere but his brother and his friend. “Does Dean have a ride home?”

Dean's about to respond when Cas covers his mouth with his hand. He brings his mouth to Dean’s ear, the one that Sam can’t see. He whispers, “I don’t want you to go home tonight.”

Cas feels Dean’s face break into a grin. Dean ducks his head down to Cas’ neck. 

Craning his neck to see Sam around Dean’s head, Cas responds to an even more uncomfortable looking Sam. “Dean won’t be going home tonight.”


End file.
